


Dance With Me

by painted_in_ink



Series: Ways to Fall in Love With Your Best Friend (A Killervibe Drabble Series) [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, KV all the way, Mutual Pining, Romance, this is one of my favorites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:55:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/painted_in_ink/pseuds/painted_in_ink
Summary: *Ahem* So this was a borrowed prompt, which I believe turned out well enough that the original owner forgave me.This is the romantic one.Prompt... Dancing alone in Cisco's kitchen.
Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Caitlin Snow, killervibe
Series: Ways to Fall in Love With Your Best Friend (A Killervibe Drabble Series) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637335
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Dance With Me

**Author's Note:**

> I have a slight **angst warning** for this one guys, just to let you know. There are some tough feels.

He spun her out again and Caitlin giggled, crashing ungracefully back into his chest; Cisco keeping slow, steady movements as he supported her though remaining more somber. He tried not to show too much of the latter on his face, but it didn’t matter as much to keep his mask in place after her last couple of drinks.

She had led him into his darkened kitchen, begging him to slow dance with her after showing him how her dad had taught her when she was a kid.

That led to their clumsy movements now, Caitlin probably not going to last much longer than the fourth song.

She may have gone out for drinks with her mom a couple nights ago, but Cisco was damn near sure this was only the first of many times that Caitlin would need to process through her emotions again… Her father just _died._

“Next time we’re cutting you off at _five_ , you hear me?” he threatened evenly, leaning down to whisper it over the soft music playing from his speaker in the dark kitchen, adoration sneaking out of his tone because he let it.

He tried to tell himself that he was allowing this much contact (they were so far past the ‘friend safety zone’, right now that he didn’t want to think about it) solely for her comfort… Pretending his heart wasn’t aching just thinking about all the times he’d wanted to do this before.

“Oooohhh, _c’mon_ ,” she said as she pressed against him and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, giving him most of her weight to give herself a break from keeping her balance.

_“_ You already _told me_ you won’t let me become an alcoholic because of all this, so I have to make this last big blowout as memorable as I can,” she slurred in drunken happiness, tilting her head cutely at him, then asked him to dip her.

“Long as you can stay on your feet, Cinderella,” he teased and cleared his throat as he maneuvered them away from the kitchen bar.

She had asked if she could come over a few hours ago after dinner, still in a work dress but with her hair taken down and emotions already spent. She’d been stressed, tired, and had already sobbed twice on his chest tonight while insisting that she was fine, and that was before most of the booze. It was only pushing eleven now but he didn’t think she’d last much longer.

When she got sick of the crying and most likely became too intoxicated to care, he was sure that was what made her decide to drag him over here to dance in the first place. It wasn’t because she wanted a walk down memory lane, it was because she needed a distraction. Anything to forget; plus he was pretty sure she hadn’t been held in a while.

That was how grief was, you could only handle so much at a time before you needed to take a break from all the emotions and think about something else. With her, he was just worried about how much one person could take.

Which was why even though he was sure this was a _bad idea_ , he was gonna try and do what she asked of him.

He moved her more around the room this time, careful every time he let her twirl to make sure she stayed upright.

Then he prepared to dip her and let her lean back, going slowly in case she had already started to feel woozy.

This was a _horrible idea_ , he thought as she tipped her head back, shutting her eyes softly and forgetting herself. Pale moonlight shown on her features and highlighted the crevasses in her neck, areas that made his mouth dry, that he normally never saw this up close. He’d usually never let a thought like that slip by, but he was entranced.

He wouldn’t let himself think about it earlier, bound by a sense of duty; but she was heart-wrenchingly beautiful, and it didn’t look like she was gonna be taking it easy on anyone's tonight.

One of her legs hooked itself securely behind his knee as she breathed in and leaned back, using him like an anchor, causing his breath to catch in his throat.

He brought her up as quickly as he could while still being courteous to her condition, pulse racing unsteadily now.

He didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if the spell had taken any longer to be broken. _Terrible, terrible idea._

“Cisco,” she asked after him, her voice thick from the drinks, moving closer instead of further away, eyebrows crinkled in confusion. Her face and chest were flushed beautifully from being horizontal just a moment ago, the look in her eyes more hooded. He had to shut his own to think clearly. _No, no, no._

“Hey,” she inquired, sounding more worried but still not moving away. He backed her up to the nearest solid surface to give her something else to lean on.

“Just, give me a minute,” he asked, too aware of his hands on her now, the ones he used to push her away and give him some space burning where they were splayed across her waist. He could do this, he could do this. Just _chill out._

He lost all coherent thought when she tipped her head down to meet his and he felt her breath on his cheek.

“Caitlin, stop,” he begged, his voice strained, eyes still closed.

“Please, don’t do this right now,” he said opening them, immediately recognizing the hurt in hers.

“I’m so sorry,” she said sobering up a bit, him quickly regretting everything he said and oh my god, _why was he so stupid—_

_“_ Do you want me to leave?” She asked, tears starting to come back even though she clearly was trying to keep them at bay.

“NO,” he said too quickly. “I’m sorry, god, I’m so sorry, no,” he said leaning into her for a different reason now, and he felt terrible as she buried her head between his neck and shoulder.

He passed his hands through her hair, apologizing and wrapping her his arms to make her feel safe.

When she calmed down enough he told her he was gonna take her to bed, swooping her up with every intention of making his way to the couch when this was over.

When he passed by the speaker to turn it off she was still mumbling apologies, so he pressed a quick kiss to her hairline, shushing her again. She only wrapped her arms around him tighter.

He might stick his head in the freezer seeing how a cold shower wasn’t an option with her in the bedroom.

She tightened her arms around his neck before he could set her down. “Please don’t leave, I’m sorry,” she begged, and his heart hurt.

He told her he was just going to change and then he’d come back. He got her all curled up with her back turned on his side of the bed, then went and fetched water and pills he was sure she would need in the next few hours.

Seeing how she seemed calmer and her breathing was now even he went ahead and went into the bathroom to change, letting his hair down from the bun it was in and staring his reflection down in the mirror.

How he had come to be this absolutely pathetic love-struck fool, he couldn’t even tell you, but one thing was certain; he was without a shadow of a doubt 110% head over heels for Caitlin, and tonight was already killing him but there was nothing he could do nor would do about it.

_Get it together_ , he told himself. _Stop being a dick, she needs you right now._

Shaking off every remnant of the other room that he could, though just the thought of it made his pores tingle, he opened the door softly to find that she wasn’t totally asleep yet.

Any other gentleman would hightail it out if there while they still had the chance, but he couldn’t keep himself from going the extra mile for her.

He hesitated for a minute before turning off the lights climbing in bed next to her, pulling her towards him enough that she could rest her head on his bicep but still leaving some distance between their bodies. In the 6 inches or so still separating them, he raised his other hand and started to rub her back when she stirred, letting her know it was still okay to be a mess around him and that he could handle it.

After a few moans she was snoring, and he let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

He would always be there for Caitlin, come rain or shine.

He just didn’t know how much longer he could keep from admitting the feelings he had bottled up for her in the process.

Frustrated for even thinking of himself so much right now, he leaned over to check and make sure airways weren’t blocked and then he rolled over on his back, his other arm still acting as her pillow.

He didn’t wanna think about how she’d feel if she remembered any of this in the morning. He didn’t know what he was gonna do if she did.

He sighed and told himself to go to sleep so he wouldn’t have to think about it anymore, figuring he’d have to be helping her to the bathroom before the night was over anyway.

He could admit to himself how far he’d fallen for her later.

…

He woke to the sound of the bedsheets rustling, a sudden absence of warmth alerting his senses already fixed to pay special attention for this tonight. He didn’t make it to her before he heard the telltale click of the toilet bowl, but he grabbed a spare hand towel on the way and immediately set to pulling her hair out of her face, tying it away as her stomach drained its contents and she groaned.

And Caitlin very well knew enough not to give herself alcohol poisoning, but that wasn’t gonna stop him from getting her to down a couple of glasses of water before returning to bed.

He rubbed her shoulders, blinking the sleep out of his eyes tiredly. A glance at the clock told him it was only three am.

She moaned miserably, letting him flush the toilet as she tried and failed to reach for the handle.

He sighed, maybe he shouldn’t have let her drink _that much,_ but she’d really wanted it and it had seemed like the only way to help her get her sorrows out of her system at the time. That just served to remind him why she was like this, and it tore at him, wishing there was more he could do to ease her pain.

They’d been through so much together… He wondered how on earth he wasn’t supposed to fall for this woman eventually, his tired mind thought betrayingly.

Handing her a damp towel as soon as she sat back, she began wiping herself down and drinking the water he handed her, him leaving and returning with a spare set of pants and a shirt.

“Hey,” he said as he came back, trading her the clothing for the towel. “Here’s some spare clothes.”

He met her eyes sympathetically. She looked like shit.

“I’m gonna step out, so you can get changed. You good?”

She groaned and tried to get up, wobbly enough that he had to reach for her arms after a few seconds.

“Okay, take it easy,” he told her, helping her as much as she needed.

When she assured him that she could stay standing, he poured her a cup of mouth wash and left it on the sink.

He listened carefully for loud thuds or crashes as he waited on the edge of the bed in case she wasn’t getting along very smoothly, thinking about leaving her to sleep by herself after this if she was okay with it, now that she seemed a little more aware.

When the door opened again, he didn’t expect her to not even have started changing.

_Oh, God. At least Barry had super speed, and at least he wasn’t in love… with her._

“Hey, what’s up?—“

She turned and signaled to the back of her outfit, unable to do anything with the clasp. With a sigh of relief when he unhooked it, she didn’t even wait until she was back in the bathroom to start peeling her arms out.

“Woah, woah, woah,” he started to turn around and asked her to wait.

Not as coherent as he thought.

“Hold on, Caitlin, how about we get you back into the bathroom before you—“

“Cisco, please just help me get out of this thing,” she begged, looking put out.

He sighed. “Come here,” he walked over, and he helped her into the washroom.

He shut off his brain, avoided all mirrors, and definitely avoided all areas he wasn’t supposed to see as much as possible, especially when she took off the bra and denied the pants because she felt hot.

She _was_ hot, that was precisely the issue.

With great effort, she managed to rinse with the mouth wash and make it halfway to the bed before needing aid again.

“Cisco, are you mad at me? For some reason, I’m worried you’re mad at me…” She asked as he laid her down on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom this time, covering her with the blanket.

“Course not, Caitlin,” he told her honestly. He could never stay mad at her.

He moved a stray piece of hair out of her face, and she grabbed lightly for his hand.

“Will you stay with me, please,” she asked, sounding far more tired than last time.

“If you’re sure,” he answered, and when she nodded her head he went around to the other side, expecting to repeat the same pattern from before, but she rolled over and faced him this time.

“Thank you,” she whispered before pillowing herself on his bicep again, and Cisco wished some deity would have mercy and just send him to sleep quickly.

“Whatever you need,” he mumbled, falling asleep faster this time, because of the hour.

….

When Cisco woke up again, he cursed because he knew this was going to happen. Then he swore to himself silently when the full body of warmth curled into his side mumbled some kind of retort incoherently.

He groaned softly. It couldn’t have been more than seven am, but the sun was rising, not unlike something else further south that he couldn’t afford to think about.

Nope. Not going there, nope.

He tried to stir, but that only brought attention to the soft flesh pressed into his side, the arm draped across his chest, and the steadily rising knee that was hooked over his thigh. _No._

He needed out of this bed immediately.

After he escaped her limbs that seemed to reach for him in her sleep, he refilled her water and made sure the aspirin was where she could find it.

Then he finally got that cold shower, determined not to soothe himself lest she hear a goddamn thing, even in her sleep… If they were planning on keeping their friendship after this, by some miracle, then that would have to wait.

He made coffee, went to the store and bought her favorite creamer, and made breakfast all while she was slowly crawling back to consciousness.

When she emerged finally, he was halfway through his second cup and some light reading, and praise the lord they found a way to settle on a pair of his boxers and a hoodie before she made it too far into the kitchen.

He rubbed the corners of his eyes underneath his glasses, hoping she’d blame any strain on his face on the fact that he’d only just took out his contacts this morning.

It wasn’t that she was the most adorable woman on the planet, even in this state, and it wasn’t that she maybe, definitely for sure tried to kiss him while dancing drunkenly with him last night.

But if anyone was smart they might figure out it was because he really wanted all of those things, and all of those things was standing there in his kitchen wearing his briefs and jacket and looking at him adorably and it was just ruining him.

He shook himself and asked how she was feeling, if he could get her anything—

Until she full on hugged him, and his automatic response was to hug her back, one hand finding her hair immediately. Their normal physical boundaries were all so out of whack, it was hard not to just go with the flow, at this point.

He assumed that she still felt pretty awful.

“Did you take the aspirin?” he asked her calmly.

She moaned something intelligible into his chest, it almost sounded like an apology.

“What,” he struggled out, concerned about which part she was talking about. Why would she even be apologizing?

He had no idea how close she’d be to her normal self this morning, or if anything had changed because of last night. He didn’t know what she remembered or what she would think about it when she did.

For all he knew he’d be apologizing soon for even let himself _dance_ with his _drunk best friend._

Part of him knew he’d only done it to try and appease her and that he hadn’t taken advantage of anything, did his best not to, but now he was worried he might have crossed a line that her sober self would not appreciate and it could cost him dearly.

All these things could wait until she had eaten and was feeling less hungover, though, so he tried to postpone this conversation until after they took care of that; if she’d let him. “Ah, hey, don’t worry about it. Let’s just get you something to eat, okay? You hungry?”

She groaned and pulled her head up, finally, grabbing his face with both hands.

“Cisco, it was completely inappropriate for me to—“

_Yup, definitely still unaware of their lack of physical boundaries._

“Get absolutely wasted and expect you to take care of me like that. Especially now, with your thing with Kamilla, _god what would she think,_ I’m so so sorry,” she said, putting her head back down on his chest.

He didn’t know whether he was relieved or disappointed to hear that.

He didn’t know what he expected.

Wait, Kamilla?

Did he seriously not say anything?

“Hey, you know that Kamilla and I broke up, right? It was a little while ago, you’re not offending anybody.”

Caitlin looked positively surprised. “Serious?”

“Caitlin, hun, let’s just get you some food,” he said, leading her to the bar. “I promise we’re fine.”

After he poured her coffee and another glass of water with her plate of eggs, she looked up apologetically, though looking far less bothered than when she got up.

She napped, took another aspirin, and rested it off the rest of the morning, and he eventually brought her another cup of hot chocolate and set it on the table in front of her when she turned back on the television.

“Thanks,” she said groggily, still stirring from her nap.

They remained in companionable silence watching old Lucy reruns, until she turned it off and got up, by the looks of it going to apologize again.

“Hey, I said don’t worry about—“ he started to defend.

“I wanted to kiss you last night," she admitted quickly. He was stunned into silence.

"And I promise it wasn’t because of dad,” She added quickly after that, clearly still talking to him about him, out loud, considering there was no one else here and he was sure he stopped dreaming hours ago.

“What?” he asked breathlessly.

“I know it looked like I was just running from things, Cisco, but I—“ he took her into his arms without another word.

"Are you being serious?"

“I didn’t know about Kamilla, though, so I had no right, I'm so sorry,” she apologized again.

“I am not mad about Kamilla, and I had the worst night of my life telling you no for anything last night. I don’t wanna hurt you, Cait—“

She whimpered and hushed him with a successful attempt at a kiss, this time. _Oh god,_ how he’d wanted this.

“Are you sure this is what you want,” he had to pull away and ask before they continued.

“Yes, Cisco, I want you, I just want you,” she told him, and practically pounced him after that.

His smile quickly faded into her hot, open-mouthed kiss, _his_ jacket falling off her shoulders easily as he picked her up, gathering her legs around his waist.

She only paused to tell him how badly she had wanted him last night. How she couldn't avoid her feelings anymore after all they’d been through, after thinking all the ways he’d been there for her for so long. Echoing all his sentiments from the previous night.

That gave him all the confidence he needed to lead her back to the couch, no longer sorry for all of the thoughts he had about doing this with her against the nearest solid surface not twelve hours ago.

“I love you, Caitlin,” he said and swallowed her gasp, unwilling to give her a chance to respond.

She groaned, but he was too busy kissing her senseless.

Later, when they were curled up together on the couch, hair askew and covered in blankets, she took his face in her hands and made sure he heard her say it back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading<3


End file.
